UNINTERRUPTABLE GROUP COMMUNICATION SESSIONS WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20100257461A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Brewer, Beth A., Bhaskaran, Hamsini, Aggarwal, Ashutosh
• Granted Patent: US 8,938,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/755
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/566 relating to a participants right to speak arrangements for multi-party communication with floor control, e.g. for conferences, H04L65/4038, H04L65/4046, H04L65/4053
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A call request message is sent from an access terminal to an application server in order to request initiation of a group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by call targets of the session. The application server announces the session, and sends a floor-grant to the access terminal after the session is accepted by at least one target. The access terminal forwards media to the application server which is then forwarded to the at least one target. The floor is not transferred away from the access terminal during the session. For example, floor requests are suppressed at the at least one target, or floor requests are sent by the at least one target but are then ignored or denied by the application server.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

configuring a preemption rank for each of a plurality of group members of the given communication group, the preemption ranks at least used to determine whether a non-floor-holder among the plurality of group members can obtain the floor for an active group communication session from a current floor-holder; and

granting at least one of the plurality of group members an uninterruptable group communication session privilege, the uninterruptable group communication session privilege permitting the at least one group member to originate a given group communication session that allocates the floor to the at least one group member for the duration of the given group communication session and for which the floor will not be transferred to another of the plurality of group members during the given group communication session irrespective of at least one of the preemption ranks of the group members or one or more rules defined by an operator.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a notification to the at least one group member indicating that the at least one group member has access to the uninterruptable group communication session privilege.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein granting the interruptible group communication session privilege to the at least one group member confers an option to the at least one group member such that the at least one group member can initiate either (i) an interruptible group communication session or (ii) an uninterruptable group communication session.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one group member can select between (i) and (ii) when requesting the group communication session to be initiated.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a call request message from the at least one group member that is configured to request initiation of an uninterruptable group communication session; and

setting up the uninterruptable group communication session based on the at least one group member having been granted the uninterruptable group communication session privilege.

6. A method of obtaining information related to a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

receiving, at a given access terminal from the application server, a notification that grants the given access terminal an uninterruptable group communication session privilege, the uninterruptable group communication session privilege permitting the given access terminal to originate a given group communication session that allocates the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session and for which the floor will not be transferred to another group member during the given group communication session irrespective of at least one of the preemption rank of the another group member or one or more rules defined by an operator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the notification grants confers an option to the given access terminal such that the given access terminal can initiate either (i) an interruptible group communication session or (ii) an uninterruptable group communication session.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a user of the given access terminal can select between (i) and (ii) when requesting a particular group communication session to be initiated.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

configuring a call request message to request initiation of an uninterruptable group communication session; and

transmitting the call request message to the application server.

10. A method of conducting a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

configuring a call request message, at a given access terminal, to request initiation of a given group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

receiving a floor-grant message indicating that the given access terminal has obtained the floor and can begin forwarding media for transmission to at least one other member of the communication group; and

forwarding media from the given access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the given access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the configuring step configures a header-portion of the call request message with a special value that is expected to indicate, to the application server, that the given access terminal desires the given group communication session to be uninterrupted by other members of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the configuring step configures a Diffserv Code Point (DSCP) value of the header-portion of the call request message with the special value.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the configured call request message is also configured to request that the application server does not revoke the floor from the given access terminal during the given group communication session based on one or more floor-revocation rules that are enforced by the application server for group communication sessions.

14. A method of conducting a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

receiving a call request message, from a given access terminal, that requests initiation of a given group communication session to a communication group and that further requests that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

sending an announce message for announcing the given group communication session to the communication group;

receiving an acceptance message from at least one member of the communication group that indicates an acceptance of the announced session;

sending, in response to at least one of the received acceptance messages, a floor-grant message to the given access terminal indicating that the given access terminal has obtained the floor and can begin forwarding media for transmission to the at least one other member of the communication group; and

receiving and forwarding media from the given access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the given access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a floor-request message that requests the floor of the given group communication session from an access terminal other than the given access terminal; and

not granting the received floor-request message such that the given access terminal retains the floor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the not granting step is performed even if the requesting access terminal has a higher preemption rank than the given access terminal.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the received call request message contains a header-portion with a special value that is expected to indicate, to the application server, that the given access terminal desires the given group communication session to be uninterrupted by the other members of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the header-portion with the special value within the call request message corresponds to a Diffserv Code Point (DSCP) value.

19. A method of conducting a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

configuring an announce message for announcing a given group communication session to a communication group, the announce message configured to indicate, to each target member of the communication group, that the given group communication session will not permit the floor to be re-allocated away from an originator of the given group communication session such that the given group communication session will remain uninterrupted by the target members of the communication group; and

transmitting the configured announce message.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the configuring step configures a header-portion of the announce message with a special value that is expected to indicate, to the target members of the communication group, that the given group communication session will be uninterrupted by the target members of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the configuring step configures a Diffserv Code Point (DSCP) value of the header-portion of the announce message with the special value.

22. A method of conducting a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

receiving an announce message at a given access terminal for announcing a given group communication session associated with a communication group, the received announce message configured to indicate that the given group communication session will not permit the floor to be re-allocated away from an originator of the given group communication session such that the given group communication session will remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

sending an acceptance message if the given access terminal determines to join the announced session; and

receiving media from the originator for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the originator to another member of the communication group.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user of the given access terminal to attempt to obtain the floor for the given group communication session; and

suppressing the request such that a request for the floor of the given group communication session is not transmitted from the give access terminal.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the received announce message contains a header-portion with a special value that is expected to indicate, to the given access terminal, that the given group communication session will not permit the floor to be re-allocated away from the originator of the given group communication session such that the given group communication session will remain uninterrupted by the other members of the communication group.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the header-portion with the special value within the announce message corresponds to a Diffserv Code Point (DSCP) value.

26. An application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for configuring a preemption rank for each of a plurality of group members of the given communication group, the preemption ranks at least used to determine whether a non-floor-holder among the plurality of group members can obtain the floor for an active group communication session from a current floor-holder; and

means for granting at least one of the plurality of group members an uninterruptable group communication session privilege, the uninterruptable group communication session privilege permitting the at least one group member to originate a given group communication session that allocates the floor to the at least one group member for the duration of the given group communication session and for which the floor will not be transferred to another of the plurality of group members during the given group communication session irrespective of at least one of the preemption ranks of the group members or one or more rules defined by an operator.

27. An access terminal configured to obtain information related to a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for receiving, from the application server, a notification that grants the access terminal an uninterruptable group communication session privilege, the uninterruptable group communication session privilege permitting the access terminal to originate a given group communication session that allocates the floor to the access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session and for which the floor will not be transferred to another group member during the given group communication session irrespective of at least one of the preemption rank of the another group member or one or more rules defined by an operator.

28. An access terminal configured to participate in a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for configuring a call request message to request initiation of a given group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

means for receiving a floor-grant message indicating that the access terminal has obtained the floor and can begin forwarding media for transmission to at least one other member of the communication group; and

means for forwarding media to the at least one other member of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group.

29. An application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for receiving a call request message, from a given access terminal, that requests initiation of a given group communication session to a communication group and that further requests that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

means for sending an announce message for announcing the given group communication session to the communication group;

means for receiving an acceptance message from at least one member of the communication group that indicates an acceptance of the announced session;

means for sending, in response to at least one of the received acceptance messages, a floor-grant message to the given access terminal indicating that the given access terminal has obtained the floor and can begin forwarding media for transmission to the at least one other member of the communication group; and

means for receiving and forwarding media from the given access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the given access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group.

30. An application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for configuring an announce message for announcing a given group communication session to a communication group, the announce message configured to indicate, to each target member of the communication group, that the given group communication session will not permit the floor to be re-allocated away from an originator of the given group communication session such that the given group communication session will remain uninterrupted by the target members of the communication group; and

means for transmitting the configured announce message.

31. An access terminal configured to participate in a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for receiving an announce message for announcing a given group communication session associated with a communication group, the received announce message configured to indicate that the given group communication session will not permit the floor to be re-allocated away from an originator of the given group communication session such that the given group communication session will remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

means for sending an acceptance message if the access terminal determines to join the announced session; and

means for receiving media from the originator for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the originator to another member of the communication group.

32. An application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to configure a preemption rank for each of a plurality of group members of the given communication group, the preemption ranks at least used to determine whether a non-floor-holder among the plurality of group members can obtain the floor for an active group communication session from a current floor-holder; and

logic configured to grant at least one of the plurality of group members an uninterruptable group communication session privilege, the uninterruptable group communication session privilege permitting the at least one group member to originate a given group communication session that allocates the floor to the at least one group member for the duration of the given group communication session and for which the floor will not be transferred to another of the plurality of group members during the given group communication session irrespective of at least one of the preemption ranks of the group members or one or more rules defined by an operator.

33. An access terminal configured to obtain information related to a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to receive, from the application server, a notification that grants the access terminal an uninterruptable group communication session privilege, the uninterruptable group communication session privilege permitting the access terminal to originate a given group communication session that allocates the floor to the access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session and for which the floor will not be transferred to another group member during the given group communication session irrespective of at least one of the preemption rank of the another group member or one or more rules defined by an operator.

34. An access terminal configured to participate in a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to configure a call request message to request initiation of a given group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

logic configured to receive a floor-grant message indicating that the access terminal has obtained the floor and can begin forwarding media for transmission to at least one other member of the communication group; and

logic configured to forward media to the at least one other member of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group.

35. An application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to receive a call request message, from a given access terminal, that requests initiation of a given group communication session to a communication group and that further requests that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

logic configured to send an announce message for announcing the given group communication session to the communication group;

logic configured to receive an acceptance message from at least one member of the communication group that indicates an acceptance of the announced session;

logic configured to send, in response to at least one of the received acceptance messages, a floor-grant message to the given access terminal indicating that the given access terminal has obtained the floor and can begin forwarding media for transmission to the at least one other member of the communication group; and

logic configured to receive and forward media from the given access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the given access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group.

36. An application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to configure an announce message for announcing a given group communication session to a communication group, the announce message configured to indicate, to each target member of the communication group, that the given group communication session will not permit the floor to be re-allocated away from an originator of the given group communication session such that the given group communication session will remain uninterrupted by the target members of the communication group; and

logic configured to transmit the configured announce message.

37. An access terminal configured to participate in a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to receive an announce message for announcing a given group communication session associated with a communication group, the received announce message configured to indicate that the given group communication session will not permit the floor to be re-allocated away from an originator of the given group communication session such that the given group communication session will remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

logic configured to send an acceptance message if the access terminal determines to join the announced session; and

logic configured to receive media from the originator for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the originator to another member of the communication group.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session within a wireless communications system, cause the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to configure a preemption rank for each of a plurality of group members of the given communication group, the preemption ranks at least used to determine whether a non-floor-holder among the plurality of group members can obtain the floor for an active group communication session from a current floor-holder; and

program code to grant at least one of the plurality of group members an uninterruptable group communication session privilege, the uninterruptable group communication session privilege permitting the at least one group member to originate a given group communication session that allocates the floor to the at least one group member for the duration of the given group communication session and for which the floor will not be transferred to another of the plurality of group members during the given group communication session irrespective of at least one of the preemption ranks of the group members or one or more rules defined by an operator.

39. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an access terminal configured to obtain information related to a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, cause the access terminal to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to receive, from the application server, a notification that grants the access terminal an uninterruptable group communication session privilege, the uninterruptable group communication session privilege permitting the access terminal to originate a given group communication session that allocates the floor to the access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session and for which the floor will not be transferred to another group member during the given group communication session irrespective of at least one of the preemption rank of the another group member or one or more rules defined by an operator.

40. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an access terminal configured to participate in a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, cause the access terminal to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to configure a call request message to request initiation of a given group communication session to a communication group and to request that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

program code to receive a floor-grant message indicating that the access terminal has obtained the floor and can begin forwarding media for transmission to at least one other member of the communication group; and

program code to forward media to the at least one other member of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group.

41. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session within a wireless communications system, cause the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to receive a call request message, from a given access terminal, that requests initiation of a given group communication session to a communication group and that further requests that an allocation of the floor to the given access terminal for the duration of the given group communication session remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

program code to send an announce message for announcing the given group communication session to the communication group;

program code to receive an acceptance message from at least one member of the communication group that indicates an acceptance of the announced session;

program code to send, in response to at least one of the received acceptance messages, a floor-grant message to the given access terminal indicating that the given access terminal has obtained the floor and can begin forwarding media for transmission to the at least one other member of the communication group; and

program code to receive and forward media from the given access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the given access terminal to the at least one other member of the communication group.

42. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an application server configured to arbitrate a group communication session within a wireless communications system, cause the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to configure an announce message for announcing a given group communication session to a communication group, the announce message configured to indicate, to each target member of the communication group, that the given group communication session will not permit the floor to be re-allocated away from an originator of the given group communication session such that the given group communication session will remain uninterrupted by the target members of the communication group; and

program code to transmit the configured announce message.

43. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an access terminal configured to participate in a group communication session arbitrated by an application server within a wireless communications system, cause the access terminal to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to receive an announce message for announcing a given group communication session associated with a communication group, the received announce message configured to indicate that the given group communication session will not permit the floor to be re-allocated away from an originator of the given group communication session such that the given group communication session will remain uninterrupted by other members of the communication group;

program code to send an acceptance message if the access terminal determines to join the announced session; and

program code to receive media from the originator for the duration of the given group communication session without the floor being transferred from the originator to another member of the communication group.